1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to chemical cleaning compositions and, more particularly, this invention relates to aqueous chemical solutions for cleaning photographic processing tanks and trays.
2. Description of Related Art
Rendering visible camera or otherwise exposed silver-based photographic materials conventionally requires a three bath process: develop, fix and wash, Contact with these solutions can be performed manually, e.g. in trays, or by a mechanized conveyance, e.g. rollers or belts to carry the photographic material from one tank to the next. Such automatic devices, referred to herein as processors, normally have the tanks adjacent and contiguous.
After substantial use of the processor, deposits are formed in the various tanks and conveyance means which are detrimental to processor performance and output quality. These deposits consist variously of some or all of the following: metallic silver and silver salts in the developer tank; silver salts and alkali metal salts in the fixer tank; alkali metal salts, algae/fungal deposits ("bioslime"), gelatin and gelatin by-products in the wash tank.
The prior art utilizes a different solution composition for cleaning each tank. The developer tank requires a strong oxidizer/silver solvent system. Commonly employed agents are chromic acid salts with sulfuric or sulfamic acid. An alkali bisulfite solution "neutralizer" is needed to remove residual chromate salts after the first solution is used. Chromium is a priority pollutant, designated by the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and also classified by the EPA as a "known human carcinogen".
The fixer tank cleaning process employs a strong caustic solution, e.g. caustic soda or caustic potash, to dissolve the salts and silver complexes. Not only is the caustic solution injurious to skin and eyes, the mixing of the chromic acid developer tank cleaner and the caustic fixer tank cleaner may result in a strongly exothermic and potentially violent reaction.
Growth of algae and fungi is very common in the wash tanks of these processors. The accumulation of gelatin and the soluble and insoluble salts create an ideal growth medium. A chlorine bleach, e.g., calcium hypochlorite solution (Clorox.RTM.), is commonly employed for this "bioslime" removal. Although effective, except for dissolution of the salt deposits, in cleaning the wash tank, the well known incompatibility of the strong caustic (from the adjacent fixer tank) and "liquid bleach" can produce volumes of deadly gaseous chlorine if mixed.